Blind stitch hemming foot



0 R 4- 21M 2 S m 7 R N m a 5 w E 1 Y o E O T 6 6 at PM w L May 30, 1961 L. E. ROGERS BLIND STITCH HEMM ING FOOT Filed March 15, 1959 United States Patent. C F

2,986,106 BLIND STITCH HEMMING FOOT Louis E. Rogers, 1616 E. 2nd St., Oklahoma City, Okla. Filed Mar. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 799,310 7 Claims. (Cl. 112-151) The present invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to an attachment therefor.

It is common practice in forming garments for women such as dresses, skirts and the like, to form the hem at the bottom edge thereof by stitching the material together with blind stitches; blind stitches," as herein referred to, comprises connecting adjacent surfaces of material, doubled back upon itself at a selected point of contact by stitches which do not extend through opposing surfaces of the material, particularly the outwardly disposed surface.

Heretofore this blind stitching of hems has been done by hand, particularly in the cases of individual seamstresses making their own clothing. Thus, it may be readily seen that this is a tedious and time consuming task particularly when hemming a full skirt.

' It is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention to provide a device which may be removably connected to the presser foot supporting shaft of a sewing machine, in place of the ordinary presser foot, for forming a blind hem stitch.

Another object is to provide a device of this class which may be connected to any standard type sewing machine having a vertically reciprocating needle for forming blind stitches in the material being sewed.

Another object is to provide a device of this class which is particularly adaptable for connection with a sewing machine capable of moving the needle thereof transversely of the feed direction of the work and stitching a zig-zag stitch wherein selected alternate stitches of the zig-zag pattern will form a blind stitch in a hem.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which may be easily used for blind stitching a hem by a relatively inexperienced seamstress.

Another object is to provide a device of this class which is sturdily constructed and has no moving parts which might get out of adjustment or become lost.

Still another object is to provide a device of this class which is relatively simple in construction and which may be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by providing a device similar to a presser foot which includes a vertical means adapted to be removably secured to the presser foot supporting shaft of a conventional sewing machine in place of the ordinary presser foot.

The device includes a horizontal bottom plate, an upstanding central wall and a lateral horizontal flange for forming a laterally open horizontal work material receiving slot. A vertical slot, extended through the bottom plate and the wall transversely of the feed direction of the work, communicates with the work material receiving slot; and an elongated rearwardly open slot is cut through the bottom plate, on that side of the wall forming the inward limit of the work receiving slot which communicates with the transverse slot and the work material receiving slot to permit passage of the stitched material.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, wherein:

Patented May 30, 1961 Figure 1 is a three-quarter front perspective view 0 s the device, per se;

Figure 2 is a three-quarter rear perspective view of the opposite side of the device as viewed in Fig. 1, illustrating the manner of connecting the device to a presser foot supporting shaft;

Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating an alternate presser foot supporting shaft connecting means and wherein a portion of the device is broken away for clarity;

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l, but illustrating an alternate means of adjustably connecting the presser foot supporting shaft connecting means to the device;

Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating an alternate embodiment of the supporting shaft connecting means shown in Fig. 3;

Figure 6 is atop plan view of the device in operative position adjacent a fragmentary portion of the work material; and,

Figure 7 is a front elevational view, partly in section, taken substantially along line 7-7 of Fig. 6, illustrating the relative position of the work material with respect to the device and illustrating, in solid and dotted lines, the position of the needle during the hem stitching ward end edge 14, a rearward end edge 16 and opposingv side edges 18 and 20. A central upstanding wall 22, formed integral with the base plate 12, extends between the ends of the latter. A boss or lug 24, integral with the base 12, adjacent the base edge 18 and rear edge 16 extends upwardly of the upper surface of the base a distance substantially equal and parallel with respect to the uppermost edge of the wall 22. The boss 24 has one longitudinal edge 26 disposed in parallel spaced-apart relation with respect to the rearward end portion of the wall 22 for forming a relatively narrow vertical groove or slot 28. Vertically disposed bracket means 30, having a shank portion 31 substantially rectangular in horizontal cross section, has the depending or lower end portion thereof loosely received by the groove 28 and which is pivotally connected to the wall 22 and boss 24 as by a transverse pin 32. Intermediate its ends the shank 31 is angularly bent or off-set laterally of the groove 28 toward the wall 22 as is best shown in Fig. 2 at 34. The' off-set in the bracket means limits the vertical tilting action of the forward and rearward ends about the horizontal.

pivot pin by the contact of the shank 31 with the adjacent upper edges of the wall 22 and boss 24. The upper end portion of the bracket means 30 is more or less conventional and includes a forwardly and laterally extending projection 36 which co-operates with a pair of rearwardly and laterally extending prongs 38 and 40, divided by a horizontal slot 42, for receiving the depending end portion of a conventional sewing machine presser foot supporting shaft 44, depending from the sewing machine head 44A, in place of the ordinary presser foot, not shown. A thumb screw 45 received by the slot 42 and threadedly engaged with the shaft 44 grips the bracket means 30 and thus permits the sewing machine, not shown, to impart action to the device 10 similar to that imparted to a conventional presser foot.

A relatively thin horizontally disposed flange 46, formed integral with the upper edge portion of the wall 22, ex

tends laterally therefrom substantially equidistant with s respect to the side edge 20 ofthe base 12. The flange 46, as illustrated, extends rearwardly from the forward end 14 of the device to a point substantially medial the length of the wall 22. However, if desired, the flange 46 may be formed equidistant with respect to the wall. The flange 46 cooperates with the underlying portion of the base 12 to form a laterally open material receiving groove or slot 48 wherein the adjacent side of the wall 22, at its juncture with the base 12 and flange 46, forms an arcuate or concave curve, as at 50, defining the inward limit of the slot 48 for the purposes which will be more fully explained hercinbelow.

Forwardly of the position of the bracket means 30 and the boss 24 a vertical needle receiving slot 52 is cut through the base 12, wall 22 and a portion of the flange 46 at its juncture with the wall 22. The slot 52 is formed substantially perpendicular with respect to the adjacent side of the wall 22 and transversely with respect to the feed direction of the work and at a selected distance spaced forwardly of the bracket means. 30 for receiving the conventional sewing machine needle 54 depending from and driven by the conventional sewing machine head 44A which latter is capable of moving the needle 54 to form zig-zag stitching (Fig. 7). Thus, as may be seen from an examination of the drawings, one end of the needle slot 52 is in communication with the laterally open slot 48. The length of the needle slot 52 may be varied as desired but is preferably formed of a length, transversely of the device, a distance slightly greater than the lateral limit or positions of the needle 54 when forming zig-zag stitching. The width of the needle receiving slot 52, from front to back, is preferably rather narrow, but being sufficiently wide to freely receive the needle 54.

The base 12 is further provided with a vertical slot 56, open at the rearward end 16 of the base and longitudinally disposed adjacent the side of the wall 22. opposite the bracket means 30. The slot 56 is in communication, at its forward end portion, with the adjacent end of the needle slot 52 and the laterally open slot 48.

Operation In operation the device is connected to the sewing machine presser foot supporting shaft 44, as disclosed hereinabove, and in use is operated similar to the ordinary presser foot which it replaces. As shown at 58, Fig. 7, the forward undersurface of the end 14 is arcuately curved upwardly to more easily permit feeding the work 60 thereunder. The work or material 60 to be hem stitched, such as a skirt or the like, has the bottom raw edge 62 thereof, properly finished in a desired manner, such as turned and stitched, but not shown in the drawings in the interest of clarity, is positioned upon the upper surface 64 of the sewing machine under the base plate 12 and the presser foot supporting shaft 44 is lowered so that the base plate 12'rests upon the upper surface of the material 60. The work 60 is folded or doubled over upon itself forming two loops 66 and 68 and the arcuate edge of the loop 68 is positioned within the laterally open slot 48 in contact with the arcuate wall 50 thereof. Obviously the transverse width of the loop 66 may be greater than that illustrated to form a hem of selected width. The sewing machine is set to form conventional zig-zag stitches either continuously or to form a straight pattern or row of stitches having selected ones of the stitches oil-set laterally of the row and during such action the needle 54, being conventionally threaded, not shown, sews a set pattern of stitches in the material under the base 12 and engages the arcuate edge of the loop 68 upon each descent of the needle when moved toward the slot 48 in forming the zigzag stitch, as is shown by the dotted line positionof the needle 54 in Fig. 7. It will be notedthatthe needle slot 52 only extends into or intersects a relatively small portion of an arc of the curved edge 50 and this is preferably so in order that the needle 54 will contact and penetrate only a portion of the adjacent surface of the material 60 thus forming, when the finished seam is completed, a blind stitched hem. Thus, the needle 54 stitches the loop 68 to the portion of the material under the base 12 through the needle slot 52. As the material is fed into the device the stitched seam passes rearwardly of the stitching position through the longitudinal slot 56. The depth of the laterally open slot 48, from top to bottom as defined by the inward surfaces of the flange 46 and base 12 is preferably such that the loop 68 of the material is closely received therein so that the material will not be reciprocated vertically by the action of the needle 54 penetrating and being withdrawn from the edge of the loop which would hinder accurate positioning of the blind stitches. The device 10, as illustrated, is shown on an enlargedscale for clarity thus the materialforming the loop 68 in Fig. 7 is shown in spaced relation with the. surfaces ofthe device forming the slot 48., When forming the blind stitches, as above described, the loop 68 is manually maintainedzin intimate contact with the arcuate curve 50 of the slot 48 to insure its being penetrated by the needle 54. Thusait may be seen that the arcuate curve 50 aids inshapingthe surface of the loop 68 to present. and maintain a curved edge of the material disposed within that portion of the needle slot 52 where the latter intersects the slot 48.

On some conventional sewing machines it will be desirable to form the upper end portion of the bracket means so that the shank portion thereof is offset laterally toward the boss 24, as at 34A, and wherein the upper. end portion is formed to envelope the side of the presser foot supporting shaft 44 opposite the screw as is shown by the alternate embodiment 30A of the bracket (Fig. 3).

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate still other modifications 30B and 30C, respectively, of the bracket means wherein the lowermost end portion of the bracket shank is bifurcated or Y-shaped. The bifurcated ends or legs 70 and 72 are disposed on opposing sides of a transverse wall 24A, formed by cutting away forward and rearward portions of the boss 24, and are adjustably secured thereto by set screws 74. The upper end supporting shaft receiving portions of these brackets 30B and 30C are each formed similar to the brackets 30 and 30A, respectively. The purpose of the bifurated end modifications 30B and 30C is to permit lateral positioning of the device relative to the position of the needle and thus enable the operator to select the depth of penetration of the needle into the material loop 68. Thus, the device, by means of proper positioning of the bracket means on the wall 24A, may be used in connection with a conventional sewing machine not capable of forming a row of zig-zag stitching.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sewing machine hem attachment, including: a presser foot having a vertical means adapted to be removably secured on the sewing machine presser foot sup porting shaft in place of the ordinary presser foot,.said presser foot having a horizontal base plate having a forward and a rearward end; an upstanding wall carried by said base between its ends; and a laterally extending horizontal flange carried by the upper edge. of said wall for forming, in co-operation with said base a horizontal laterally open slot, said base, flange and wall having a transverse needle slot intersecting the laterally open slot, said. base having a longitudinal slot communicating with the transverse slot and extending to the. rearward end of the base adjacent said wall. on that side of the wallforming the inward limit of the horizontal laterally open slot.

2. A blind stitch hem sewing attachment for a sewing machine having means capable of moving the needle transversely of the feed direction of the work, including: a presser foot having a vertical means adapted to be removably secured on the sewing machine presser foot supporting shaft in place of the ordinary presser foot, said presser foot having a substantially rectangular base plate; an upstanding wall carried by said base plate parallel with respect to the feed direction of the work; and a horizontal flange carried by the upper edge of said wall for forming, in cooperation with said base plate, a laterally open slot, said base plate, said wall and said flange having a common transverse needle receiving slot formed therethrough intersecting the laterally open slot, said base plate having a rearwardly open longitudinal slot adjacent that side of said wall forming the inward limit of the laterally open slot and communicating at its forward end with the transverse slot.

3. A blind stitch hem sewing attachment for a sewing machine having means capable of forming zig-zag stitching, including: a presser foot having vertical means adapted to be removably secured to the sewing machine presser foot supporting shaft in place of the ordinary presser foot, said presser foot having a substantially rectangular horizontal base plate and an upper horizontal flange extending laterally of the central forward portion ofsaid base plate, said flange having a depending edge connected to said base plate defining the inward limit of a laterally open horizontal slot formed between said base plate and said horizontal flange, said base plate having a vertical needle receiving slot, formed transversely of the feed direction of the work, intersecting the depending edge of said flange and in communication with the horizontal slot, said presser foot having a rearwardly open slot in its base plate communicating at its forward end with the needle receiving slot and the horizontal slot and being formed parallel with respect to the feed direction of the work.

4. A blind stitch hem sewing attachment for a sewing machine having means capable of forming zig-zag stitching, including: a presser foot having vertical means adapted to be removably secured to the sewing machine presser foot supporting shaft in place of the ordinary presser foot, said presser foot having a substantially horizontal base plate and a horizontal flange extending laterally of the central forward portion of said base plate, said flange having a depending edge connected to said base plate defining a laterally open work material receiving slot between said base plate and said flange, the depending edge of said flange having a concave surface defining the inward limit of the laterally open slot for engagement with the arcuate edge of the work material doubled back upon itself while being passed through the slot, said base plate having a vertical needle receiving slot, formed transversely of the feed direction of the work, intersecting the depending edge of said flange and communicating at one end with the laterally open work material receiving slot for permitting engagement of the arcuate edge of the work material by the sewing machine needle, said base plate having a rearwardly open vertical slot communicating at its forward end with the needle slot and the laterally open work material receiving slot for the rearward passage of the stitched together work material.

5. A blind stitch hem sewing attachment for a sewing machine having a presser foot supporting shaft and having a vertically reciprocating needle, including: a presser foot having a substantially rectangular horizontal base plate; an upstanding central wall formed on the upper surface of said base plate; vertical-1y disposed bracket means pivotally connected to one side of said wall and adapted to be removably secured to said presser foot supporting shaft; and a horizontal flange extending laterally of the upper edge of the forward portion of said wall for forming, in co-operation with said base plate, a laterally open work material receiving slot, said presser foot having a vertical needle receiving slot formed transversely of the feed direction of the work and intersecting the work material receiving slot, said base plate having a rearwardly open vertical slot adjacent that side of said wall opposite said vertically disposed bracket means and communicating at its forward end with the needle slot and the material receiving slot for the rearward passage of the stitched work.

6. A blind stitch hem sewing attachment for a sewing machine having a pressor foot supporting shaft and having a vertically reciprocating needle, including: a presser foot having a substantially rectangular horizontal base plate, said presser foot having a forward and a rearward end; an upstanding longitudinal wall centrally carried by the upper surface of said base plate; a transverse wall carried by the upper surface of said base plate adjacent its rearward end portion; vertically disposed bracket means adapted to be removably connected to said presser foot supporting shaft, said bracket means having a bifurcated lower end adapted to adjustably engage opposing vertical surfaces of said transverse wall; and a horizontal flange extending laterally of the upper edge of the forward end portion of said longitudinal wall for forming, in co-operation with said base plate, a laterally open work material receiving slot, said longitudinal wall having a concave surface forming the bottom of the laterally open slot for contiguously contacting the arcuate edge of work material doubled back upon itself, said presser foot having a vertical needle receiving slot formed transversely of the feed direction of the work and extended through said base plate, a portion of said longitudinal wall and said flange communicating, at one end, with the laterally open Work material receiving slot, said presser foot having a rearwardly open slot formed in said base plate adjacent said longitudinal wall on that side opposite said transverse wall, said rearwardly open slot communicating, at its forward end, with said needle receiving slot and said laterally open work material receiving slot for permitting passage of the seam formed in the work material.

7. A blind stitch hem sewing attachment for a sewing machine having a presser foot supporting shaft and having means capable of forming a zig-zag stitching pattern with a vertically reciprocating needle, including: a presser foot having a substantially rectangular horizontal base plate, said presser foot having a forward and a rearward end; an upstanding longitudinal wall centrally carried by the upper surface of said base plate; a transverse wall carried by the upper surface of said base plate adjacent its rearward end portion; vertically disposed bracket means having a bifurcated lower end adapted for adjustable engagement with opposing surfaces of said transverse wall, said bracket means being adapted to be removably connected with said presser foot supporting shaft in place of the ordinary presser foot; and a horizontal flange extending laterally of the upper edge of the forward end portion of said longitudinal wall for forming, in co-operation with said base plate, a laterally open work material receiving slot, said longitudinal wall having a concave surface forming the inward limit of the laterally open slot for contiguously contacting and restricting the vertical movement of the arcuate edge of work material doubled back upon itself while passing through the slot, said presser foot having a vertical needle receiving slot formed transversely of the feed direction of the work and communicating, at one end, with the laterally open slot for permitting engagement with the folded edge of the work material by alternate ones of the zig-zag stitches formed by the needle, said presser foot having a rearwardly open slot formed in said base plate adjacent said longitudinal wall on that side opposite said transverse wall, said rearwardly open slot communicating, at its forward end, with said needle receiving slot and said laterally open slot for permitting passage of the seam formed in the work material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Haines Sept. 6, 1955 

